Placebo analgesia and its underlying mechanisms

Abstract

Abstract: Placebo effect is a biological phenomenon with psychosocial-induced biochemical changes in a patient's brain and body. The term placebo-related effects aims to extend the concept of placebo effect to related phenomena and makes the underlying mechanisms better understood. The placebo analgesia effect is induced by different mechanisms, including the expectation of pain relief and conditioning. According to pharmacological studies, placebo analgesia is subdivided into opioid and non-opioid components while functional imaging data has also revealed brain regions and brain network involved in placebo analgesia. On the basis of previous research, this paper discussed the definition and underlying mechanisms of placebo analgesia, and gave some suggestions about related study in future.

Key words: Placebo, Analgesia, Conditioning, Expectation, Mechanism

CLC Number:

R964

ZHANG Rui-rui, Guo Jian-you. Placebo analgesia and its underlying mechanisms[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2011, 16(10): 1197-1200.

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